1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic still camera device that is capable of recording and reproducing image and sound signals.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electronic still camera devices are generally large in size due the to incorporation of magnetic disk devices, and there is an increasing demand for a reduction in the size of this type of camera.
There also is a demand for electronic still camera devices that are capable of recording not only images, but also sounds.
In known electronic still camera devices of this type, sound signals are recorded on a magnetic disk in a time-base-compressed manner. During play back, the read sound signals are time-base-expanded to reproduce the original sound. Thus, the electronic still camera device of this type essentially has many devices and elements which are used specifically for recording and reproducing sounds, including a large capacity memory, an A/D converter, a D/A converter, a CPU, a timing control circuit, a sound collecting operation switch, a sound recording operation switch, a sound level indicator, and so forth.
In consequence, the size of electronic still camera devices having a sound recording/reproducing function is inevitably large, failing to meet the demand for reduction in the camera device size.
In some cases, the user may wish to record only images while omitting sounds. It is also conceivable that the user wishes to first an image and then record sounds. In addition, the supplier of camera devices of this kind have to produce different types of camera devices, i.e., camera devices with and without the sound recording functions because the sound recording/playback function is not necessary for some users, so that the cost of production of the electronic still camera device is undesirably raised.
Known electronic still camera devices are generally designed such that the recording of sounds is possible only for a predetermined period after the pressing of an exposure release button. Thus, recording of sounds is often hindered due to the presence of undesirable noise sounds at the time of exposure. Even if the sound recording itself is not impossible, the quality of the recording is seriously impaired due to the noise sounds. The noise sound may occur suddenly. The recorded sound, therefore, may include undesirable noises which has started after the commencement of the audio recording.